Inflatable cushion packaging mechine

ABSTRACT

An inflatable cushion packaging machine including a housing, a driving mechanism disposed at a front side of the housing, a rolling shaft module disposed at a rear side of the housing, and a friction module is provided. A film roll is mounted to the rolling shaft module, wherein a free end of the film roll is engaged with and moved by the driving mechanism such that the film roll is dragged by the driving mechanism to rotate the rolling shaft module. The friction module assembled to the housing has a friction ring being coaxial with the rolling shaft module and a plurality friction rollers mounted to the friction ring. The friction ring is forced to lean the friction rollers against a side surface of the rolling shaft module and stop the rolling shaft module from rotating while the rolling shaft module not being dragged and rotated by the driving mechanism.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present disclosure generally relates to an inflatable cushion packaging machine, in particular, to an inflatable cushion packaging machine with self-braking structure.

2. Description of Related Art

The use of inflatable cushions (bubble film) for packaging goods has been known in the packaging art for some time, wherein it is advisable that both cushion air chambers be isolated from one another. Webs of plastic film which are constructed to permit the production of patterns of air filled envelopes, cushions and pillows have been used extensively for cushioning objects to be transported in containers.

After the goods being packaged by the inflatable cushions, the object can thus be transported and subjected to severe conditions while minimizing any risk of it being damaged. The cushions absorb shock to a greater extent than is possible using rigid wedging means. In addition, such cushions provide thermal insulation and, in some applications, they are advantageous in that they make the box unsinkable.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to an inflatable cushion packaging machine with a self-braking structure therein so as to reduce a working time of producing the inflatable cushion package.

An inflatable cushion packaging machine including a housing, a driving mechanism disposed at a front side of the housing, a rolling shaft module disposed at a rear side of the housing, and a friction module assembled to the housing is provided. A film roll is mounted to the rolling shaft module, and a free end of the film roll is engaged with and moved by the driving mechanism so as to drag the film roll and rotate the rolling shaft module. The friction module has a friction ring being coaxial with the rolling shaft module and a plurality of friction rollers mounted to the friction ring. The friction ring is forced to lean the friction rollers against a side surface of the rolling shaft module and stop the rolling shaft module from rotating while the rolling shaft module not being dragged and rotated by the driving mechanism.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the rolling shaft module comprises a shaft body pivoted to the housing freely and a friction pad disposed at a side of the shaft body. The film roll is mounted to and rotated along with the shaft body. The friction pad is coaxial with the shaft body and has the side surface. The shaft body rotates and the friction rollers rolling with the shaft body, wherein the friction rollers lean against the friction pad to generate a friction force therebetween while the shaft body being rotated, and the friction ring rotates along with the shaft body via the friction force.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the housing comprises a first part and a second part assembled to each other, and a portion of the shaft body is pivoted to the second part by passing through the first part.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the friction ring is disposed between the first part and the second part, and the friction rollers are protruded out of the first part to contact with the friction pad.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the second part has a bolt protruding toward the first part for receiving the portion of the shaft body and has a plurality of holes surrounding the bolt. The friction module further comprises a supporting member and a first spring, wherein the supporting member has a plurality of anus extending through and locking with the holes respectively. The first spring is disposed between and pressed by the second part and the supporting member. The first spring constantly provides a pressing force on the supporting member to lean the friction rollers against the friction pad, and the pressing force increases the friction force between the friction rollers and the friction pad.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first part has a main opening and a plurality of sub openings surrounding the main opening, the portion of the shaft body passes through the main opening, and the friction rollers pass through the sub openings.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, each of the sub openings extends along an arc path, and the friction rollers move along the arc path while the friction ring being rotated with the shaft body.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the friction module further comprises at least one second spring connected between the first part and an edge of the friction ring. The second spring is deformed while the friction ring being rotated with the shaft body, and a restoring force of the second spring pulls back the friction ring while the shaft body not being dragged and rotated by the driving mechanism.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a driving force of the driving mechanism provided to the film roll is greater than the friction force generated between the friction rollers and the friction pad.

According to the above descriptions, the inflatable cushion packaging machine including a friction module assembled to a housing, wherein a friction ring of the friction module is forces to lean a plurality of friction rollers onto the rolling shaft module, such that the friction module is able to stop the rolling shaft module from rotating while the film roll not being dragged and rotated by the driving mechanism. Therefore, when the machine is stop from producing the inflatable cushion, the friction module serves as a self-braking structure in the machine to stop the rolling shaft module from rotating. It is beneficial to reduce the working time of the machine wasted in a waiting process of stopping the rolling shaft module in progress, and a portion of the film leaving from the film roll but not being inflated is prevented from being stocked and blocked between the driving mechanism and the rolling shaft module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an inflatable cushion packaging machine according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the inflatable cushion packaging machine in FIG.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 respectively depict a part of the inflatable cushion packaging machine of FIG. 2 in different states.

FIG. 4 depicts the inflatable cushion packaging machine in another view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 depicts the inflatable cushion packaging machine in another view of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an inflatable cushion packaging machine according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the inflatable cushion packaging machine in FIG. 1. Please referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 simultaneously, in the present disclosure, an inflatable cushion packaging machine 100 includes a housing 110, a driving mechanism 120, a rolling shaft module 130, a friction module 140, and a base 150. The housing 110 is disposed at a side of the base 150, such that a film roll 200 is suited for being mounted to the rolling shaft module 130. The driving mechanism 120 is disposed at a front side of the housing 110 and located above the base 150, such that a free end of the film roll 200 is suited for being engaged with and moved by the driving mechanism 120 so as to rotate the rolling shaft module 130.

In the present disclosure, the driving mechanism 120 is composed of a plurality of driving rollers and transmission belts, a motor (not shown) is connected to and used for driving the belts and driving rollers. The free end of the film roll 200 is engaged with the driving rollers so as to drag and rotate the film roll 200 on the rolling shaft module 130. Besides, an inflator or gas generator (not shown) is also provided in the housing 110 to dispense air or gas into material sheets at the free end of the film roll and then sealed by a sealing tool (not shown) to form the inflatable cushion shown at right side of FIG. 1 in dashed lines. The driving mechanism 120, the inflator and the sealing tool are known technical members of the inflatable cushion packaging machine 100, and unnecessary details thereof will not be described hereinafter.

In a process of manufacturing the inflatable cushion, the driving mechanism 120 drags the free end to rotate the film roll 200, such that the rolling shaft module 130 is rotated along with the film roll 200. Referring to FIG. 2 of the present disclosure, the rolling shaft module 130 includes a shaft body 132 and a friction pad 134 mounted to a side of the shaft body 132. The housing 110 includes a first part 112 and a second part 114 being assembled to each other via a plurality of screws (not shown), the friction module 140 is disposed in the housing 110, wherein the shaft body 132 passes through the first part 112 and the friction module 140 so as to be pivoted to the second part 114.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the first part 112 has a main opening 112 b and a plurality of sub openings 112 a surrounding the main opening 112 b. The second part has a bolt 114 a extending toward the first part 112 and a space 114 b therein, and a top edge of the bolt 114 a is located at the main opening 112 b substantially when the first part 112 and the second part 114 are assembled to each other. An end portion of the shaft body 132 is received in and pivoted to the space 114 b of the second part 114 with a screw 116 along an axis C1 by passing through the main opening 112 b of the first part 112, such that the shaft body 132 is pivoted to the housing 110 freely and be able to rotate along with the film roll 200 about the axis C1 smoothly. In the present embodiment, a bearing 111 is used in the space 114 b (but not limited thereto) for connecting to the end portion of the shaft body 132.

The friction module 140 includes a friction ring 142 a and a plurality of friction rollers 142 b mounted to the friction ring 142 a. The fiction ring 142 a is disposed between the first part 112 and the second part 114 so as to protrude the friction rollers 142 b out of the first part 112 via the sub openings 112 a. The friction module 140 further comprises a supporting member 144 and a first spring 146, wherein the supporting member 144 is coaxially connected to the friction ring 142 a via a lip portion 144 b along the axis C1, and the bolt 114 a is collared by the friction ring 142 a, the supporting member 144 and the first spring 146. The first spring 146 is disposed between the supporting member 144 and the second part 114, wherein the supporting member 144 has a plurality of anus 144 a extending through a plurality of holes 114 c surrounding the bolt 114 a respectively, and locking with the holes 114 c of the second part 114. After the supporting member 144 being assembled to the second part 114, the supporting member 144 moves along the axis C1 relative to the second part 114 but not being released from the second part 144 because of a hook structure existed at an end of each arm 144 a. Besides, a plurality of ribs existed on the lip portion 144 b to reduce contact area between the friction ring 142 a and the lip portion 144 b, such that the friction ring 142 a rotates relative to the supporting member 144 about the axis C1.

Therefore, the first spring 146 is pressed and deformed by the supporting member 144 and the second part 114 when the first part 112, the second part 114 and the friction module 140 are assembled to each other, such that a pressing force of the first spring 146 is provided onto the supporting member 144 and the friction ring 142 a so as to lean the friction rollers 142 b onto a side surface of the friction pad 134 via the sub openings 112 a respectively.

It is worth to mention that the friction rollers 142 b and the friction pad 134 are respectively made of friction material such as wool felt, rubber etc., such that a friction force is generated when the first spring 146 forces the friction ring 142 a to lean the friction rollers 142 b onto the friction pad 134. Therefore, when the shaft body 132 is rotated along with the film roll 200, the rolling shaft module 130 drives the friction ring 142 a to rotate via the friction force generated between the friction pad 134 and the friction rollers, wherein the rolling shaft module 130 and the friction ring 142 a are rotated in a same direction while the film roll 200 being dragged and rotated by the driving mechanism 120.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 respectively depict a part of the inflatable cushion packaging machine of FIG. 2 in different states. FIG. 4 depicts the inflatable cushion packaging machine in another view of FIG. 3, wherein the housing 110 is disassembled in FIG. 4 to identify necessary members therein. FIG. 6 depicts the inflatable cushion packaging machine in another view of FIG. 5, wherein the housing 110 is disassembled in FIG. 6 to identify necessary members therein. Please referring to FIGS. 3-6 of the embodiment, the friction module 140 further comprises at least one second spring 148 (two second springs 148 are depicted but not limited thereto) connected between the first part 112 and a hook 142 c located at an edge of the friction ring 142 a, wherein the second spring 148 is deformed while the friction ring 142 a being rotated with the shaft body 132 and the friction pad 134, and a restoring force of the second spring 148 pulls back the friction ring 142 a while the shaft body 132 not being dragged and rotated by the driving mechanism 120. Please referring to FIG. 2 again, each of the sub openings 112 a extends along an arc path, and the friction rollers 142 b protruded out of the sub openings 112 a move along the arc path while the friction ring 142 a being rotated along with the shaft body 132, which also means the movement of the friction rollers 142 b is guided by the sub openings 112 a. As depicted in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a driving force of the driving mechanism 120 provided to drag the film roll 200 is greater than the friction force generated between the friction rollers 142 b and the friction pad 134, such that the friction rollers 142 b and the friction ring 142 a are both still acted for rotating as well. When once the driving mechanism 120 is stopped, the film roll 200, the rolling shaft module 130, the friction roller 142 b and the friction ring 142 a are still in the movement of rotation because of the inertia of the driving force. At this time, the friction force between the friction roller 142 b and the friction pad 134, and the restoring force of the second spring 148 both act as a braking system to stop the rolling shaft module 130 from rotating, wherein the second springs rotate the friction ring in an opposite direction relative to the shaft body and the friction pad thereon. Therefore, it is beneficial to keep the material sheets of the film roll 200 between the rolling shaft module 130 and the driving mechanism 120 in a stretched manner so as to prevent the material sheets from being folded, stocked and blocked, and it is also beneficial to reduce working time of the inflatable cushion packaging machine 100.

In view of the foregoing, the inflatable cushion packaging machine has a friction module assembled to the housing for reducing the impact of rotational inertia of the film roll and the rolling shaft module while the driving mechanism is stopped. The friction module includes a friction ring forced by a first spring to lean the friction rollers against the friction pad of the rolling shaft module to generate the friction force therebetween, and the friction module further includes the second spring for pulling back the friction ring via the restoring force thereof in a rotating direction opposite to the rolling shaft module (and the film roll). Therefore, the friction module plays a role of a braking structure corresponding to the rolling shaft module so as to reduce the working time of the machine wasted in a process of waiting for the rolling shaft module being stopped.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An inflatable cushion packaging machine, comprising: a housing; a driving mechanism, disposed at a front side of the housing; a rolling shaft module disposed at a rear side of the housing, a film roll mounted to the rolling shaft module, a free end of the film roll being engaged with and moved by the driving mechanism so as to drag the film roll and rotate the rolling shaft module; and a friction module assembled to the housing, having a friction ring being coaxial with the rolling shaft module and a plurality of friction rollers mounted to the friction ring, wherein the friction ring is forced to lean the friction rollers against a side surface of the rolling shaft module and stop the rolling shaft module from rotating while the rolling shaft module not being dragged and rotated by the driving mechanism.
 2. The inflatable cushion packaging machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the rolling shaft module comprises: a shaft body, pivoted to the housing freely, the film roll mounted to the shaft body, the shaft body rotated along with the film roll; and a friction pad, disposed at a side of the shaft body, being coaxial with the shaft body, and having the side surface, the shaft body rotating and the friction rollers rolling with the shaft body, wherein the friction rollers lean against the friction pad to generate a friction force therebetween while the shaft body being rotated, and the friction ring rotates along with the shaft body via the friction force.
 3. The inflatable cushion packaging machine as recited in claim 2, wherein the housing comprises a first part and a second part assembled to each other, a portion of the shaft body is pivoted to the second part by passing through the first part.
 4. The inflatable cushion packaging machine as recited in claim 3, wherein the friction ring is disposed between the first part and the second part, and the friction rollers are protruded out of the first part to contact with the friction pad.
 5. The inflatable cushion packaging machine as recited in claim 3, wherein the second part has a bolt protruding toward the first part for receiving the portion of the shaft body, the second part has a plurality of holes surrounding the bolt, and the friction module further comprises: a supporting member, having a plurality of arms extending through and locking with the holes respectively, wherein the supporting member is connected with the friction ring coaxially via a lip portion; and a first spring, disposed between and pressed by the second part and the supporting member, wherein the first spring constantly provides a pressing force on the supporting member to lean the friction rollers against the friction pad, and the pressing force increases the friction force between the friction rollers and the friction pad.
 6. The inflatable cushion packaging machine as recited in claim 3, wherein the first part has a main opening and a plurality of sub openings surrounding the main opening, the portion of the shaft body passes through the main opening, and the friction rollers pass through the sub openings.
 7. The inflatable cushion packaging machine as recited in claim 6, wherein each of the sub openings extends along an arc path, and the friction rollers move along the arc path while the friction ring being rotated with the shaft body.
 8. The inflatable cushion packaging machine as recited in claim 3, wherein the friction module further comprises: at least one second spring, connected between the first part and an edge of the friction ring, wherein the second spring is deformed while the friction ring being rotated with the shaft body, and a restoring force of the second spring pulls back the friction ring while the shaft body not being dragged and rotated by the driving mechanism.
 9. The inflatable cushion packaging machine as recited in claim 2, wherein a driving force of the driving mechanism provided to the film roll is greater than the friction force generated between the friction rollers and the friction pad. 